LED lights in the hot rolling mill shipping bays demonstrate their justification

The LED lights which were installed in the hot rolling mill shipping bays as part of a pilot project in November 2014, have demonstrated after one year of operation that they markedly save electric energy and at the same time, since they have higher luminance comared with arc lamps, they also contribute to the safety of existing staff. Project manager Peter Štekláč from U. S. Steel Košice Engineering Division is satisfied. “Savings in electric power are more than 80% higher compared with the previous state, and higher than previous assumptions. We had calculated that we should save 3929 MWh per year; in fact it was 4413 MWh. The financial benefit says more about it. With the previous lights in the shipping bays we spent, for lighting of five bays, approximately 500 thousand euros a year, and by using the LED lights it is 100 thousand euros. We will gain approximately 46 thousand euros more on savings for maintenance, since it is not necessary to replace the lights so often. Their lifetime is 150 thousand hours and they have a five year guarantee. Return on investment is quick, approximately 1.44 years,” he says, calculating the benefits, and adds: “We are going further. After the hot rolling mill shipping bays we will soon move to the HSM bay, where we will replace 550 lights over approximately a two and a half kilometer distance. The contract is completed, the lights together with the controls are progressively being delivered to the company, and we would like to start with installation in February,” P. Štekláč informs us.